Conveyer



.ay 30, 1950 H. R. GOTTHARDT CONVEYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Sept. 19, 1946 May 39 1950 H. R. GOTTHARDT 2,509,297

coNvEYER Filed Sept. 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CONVEYER of Kentucky .Application .September 19, 1946, Serial No. 697,989

The present invention relates generallyvto vthe conveyor art.

More particularly this invention relates to a sectional roller conveyor ofthe type adapted to occupy a relatively fixed position and `wherein the movement oi articles thereover is accomplished by means of tgravityor through the application of some external force `to the articles themselves, producing rotation of the rollers `and thereby eliminating most ofthe rictional losses.

The principal object .of the .invention is to provide a roller conveyor primarily adapted for heavy duty service which is of relatively simple and durable construction and `capable of carrying very heavy loads with a minimum of friction,

A further object of the invention is toprovide a conveyor having rollers mounted Vto give vertically under the ninfluence of loads and to provide simplified means for preventing or limiting movement of the rollers ,longitudinally of the conveyor.

A further object of the invention `resides in the provision of a roller section adapted for Vuse in a conveyor oi the type described wherein the rollers are individually spring mounted for vertical movement and are .interconnected .in such manner that by guiding only the ends of one roller the lateral movement of all of the rollers endwise of the sectionmay be adequately limited.

rThe above as well as other objects and `ad vant-ages of the invention willbecome apparent during the course of the ollowing description,

In the drawings I have shown two embodiments of theinvention. In this showing:

Figure l is top plan view of a completely assembled roller `section constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is .a iront elevation of a complete roller section,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the roller section taken substantially along the line 13-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan vieu.,f of a portion of a roller section in accordance with a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the modied roller section of Figure "4, a portion of the side frame being broken away;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective View illustrating the mounting andinterconnectionoithe rollers.

Referring .to the drawingsand in particular to Figures 1 3 thereof, the completely assembled roller sectionin accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a pair of substantially parallel horizontal side frames l0 `preferably made of steel of angleshape in cross section and having horizontal iianges I2 extending inwardly and vertical flanges I' extending upwardly vfrom the vertices of said angles. The side frames IB are spacedgapart laterally and are rigidly secured together by any suitable means such-as a plurality of L-shaped transverse braces it suitably coped and welded or otherwise attached to each or" the frames. It will be understood that each roller section is provided with a `similar rigid frame structure and that a plurality or" such frames, together with the roller structure and mounting to be later described, may be placed end to end to constitute a conveyor of the desired over-all length.

A plurality of cylindrical rollers It are individually spring mounted uponthe side frames 'l0 by a plurality of partially compressed or preset heavy duty springs 2li. As shown particularly in Figure 3, each of the rollers i8 is provided with an axle extending therethrough and projecting from the opposite ends of `said rollers as at 24. The shaft ends 2a are journaled Within apertures 25 formed in the vertical flanges 28 of a pair of angle clips 30 having horizontal ilanges 32 preferably welded or otherwise suitably attached to the top surface of a generally iiat transverse tie bar 3@ at opposite ends of the latter.

It will be particularly noted that the tie Vbars 34 (Figures 'l and A5) are spaced apart endwise of the frames It and are of such length as to be freely vertically movable between the vertical flanges I4 of said frames. Elongated bolts 35 extend through suitable apertures formed in the horizontal flanges i152 of the angle clips 3D, the tie bars 34,'and the horizontal anges l2 of the side frames Il] and are `provided with suitable fastening means in the form #of a pair of lock nuts 38 engageaole therewith for securing the spring mounted Vroller assemblies in position on the side framesll.

As shown in each of Figures 1, 2 and 3,1 have provided suitable means for limiting movement of the rollers i3 endwise of their side frames I0 in'the'form of vertical` guide strips lil of generally rectangular cross section welded or otherwise attached to the vertical flanges it of the frames lll adjacent the opposite ends of the latter. In the `preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3, inclusive, only a single such'vertical guide strip "4U is provided at'eachrend of each side frame "l and'is located inwardly of Veach of the outermost tie bars i312; the'ends-of whichreciprocate alongside of said guide strips during vertical movements of the rollers and are adapted to abut against said guide strips in the event of any lateral movement of the rollers endwise of the side frames IIJ.

The shaft ends 24 at both ends of the rollers I8 are connected together by a plurality of flat links 42 having apertures 44 therein engageable with the shaft ends 24 in such manner as to form a continuous series of links interconnecting the adjacent pairs of all of said stub shafts. Any suitable means, such as, for example, cotter pins 46, may be employed for retaining the links 42 in operative position on the shaft ends 24 and it will also be noted that the apertures 44 are somewhat enlarged to provide a slight amount of clearance relative to the shaft ends 24 to accommodate the lengthening effect due to slight vertical movement of the latter under load. It will thus be apparent that since all of the rollers are interconnected by the series of links 42, the vertical guide strips 40 which are operatively associated with only the outermost of the rollers serve to limit the movement of all of the rollers endwise of the side frames ID.

In the modified form of co-nveyor section in accordance with the present invention as particularly illustrated in Figures Il and 5, the basic structure is substantially identical with that previously described; the diiference resides in the vertical guide structure provided for limiting the movement of the rollers I8 endwise of the side frames I0. In the modified form of Figures 4 and 5, I have provided a pair of vertical guide strips 40 welded or otherwise secured to the vertical flanges I4 of the side frames IE? at each end of the latter. These vertical guide strips 4B are substantially parallel and are laterally spaced apart a distance suflicient to accommodate vertical movements of the outermost tie bars 34 therebetween.

In addition to the abutment contact area provided by the ends of the tie bars 34 I have also provided follower means in the form of channel shaped members 48 suitably welded or otherwise secured to the top surface of the outermost tie bars 34 at the extreme opposite ends of the latter. Under certain circumstances, as Where unusually large lateral forces endwise of the side frames are apt to be encountered, the enlarged abutment contact area provided by the modified construction of Figs. 4 and 5 may be preferred.

In the enlarged scale showing of Figure 5, it will ,also be noted that I have provided spacer elements 5@ for suitably locating the bases of the springs 2i) relative to the bolts 35i as well as lock washers 52 interposed between the nuts 38 for securing the latter in threaded engagement with the bolts 35 in a manner well-known in the art.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a sectional conveyor oi extremely simple and durable construction and one which is not likely to be rendered inoperative by constant usage under heavy loads. In the event any damage should occur, to a roller for example, it is a very simple matter to remove the broken roller and insert a new one in the same section. In like manner practically all of the working parts may be expeditiously replaced so that it only becomes necessary to remove a complete roller section in the event of damage to the side frames or vertical guide structure and even in that case another roller section may be substituted for the disabled section while the latter is undergoing necessary repairs.

The precompression of the mounting springs 20 enables them to accommodate any desired loads. The nuts 38 are adjustable to vary the preloading of the springs 20 in accordance with the average loads to be moved over the conveyor. Each individual roller is adapted to be depressed, if necessary, under the in liuence of the load passing thereover, and such depression of each roller takes place wholly independently of the remaining rollers.

Inasmuch as the rollers are vertically movable, they cannot .be arranged in xed positions as is true of a conventional roller conveyor. In conveyors of the same general type as the present one in which vertical movement of the individual rollers is permitted, it is the common practice to provide vertical guide means for each roller. This complicates the construction and adds very materially to the cost of manufacture. In the present construction, a single guide means in the form of the single guide 4!) of Figure l or the corresponding parallel guides of Figure 4 may be employed for a conveyor section embodying a number of rollers. Itis preferred to provide such guide means at both ends of a section but this is unnecessary where the loads are being `conveyed always in the same direction. For example, assuming that loads are moved from right to left in Figure 1, the right hand guides 4B are all that need be employed for limiting movement of the rollers laterally with respect to each other, that is, longitudinally of the conveyor. Any tendency for any roller in the conveyor section to move toward the left under the influence of the passing load will be transmitted from such roller through the series of links 42 to the guides 4Il, thus limiting or preventing such lateral movement of any roller. Thus, with the use of a single guide means, all of the rollers are freely independently vertically movable but are prevented from partaking of undue movement longitudinally of the conveyor.

I claim:

l. A roller conveyor comprising a pair of substantiallyparallel horizontal side frames of angleshape having inwardly extending horizontal flanges and upwardly extending vertical flanges, a plurality of laterally spaced flat tie bars between said vertical flanges, a pair of angle clips attached to the upper surface of each of said tie bars adjacent the ends of the latter including vertical portions having apertures therein, a plurality of cylindrical rollers having shafts supported at opposite ends in said apertures, a plurality of vertically disposed compression springs mounted between said horizontal flanges and the ends of said tie bars resiliently supporting the latter and having bolts extending therethrough for adjusting the tension of said springs, a continuous series of links interconnecting the adjacent pairs of the ends of said shafts, a pair of vertical guide strips attached to said vertical flanges, and follower means attached to the ends of one of said tie bars and reciprocable with respect to said guide strips.

2. A roller conveyor comprising a pair of substantially parallel horizontal side frames of angle shape having inwardly extending horizontal flanges and upwardly extending vertical flanges, a plurality of laterally spaced at tie bars between said vertical flanges, a pair of angle clips attached to the upper surface of each of said tie bars adjacent the ends of the latter including vertical portions having apertures therein, a plurality of cylindrical rollers having shafts supported at their ends in said apertures, a plurality of vertically disposed compression springs resiliently supporting said tie bars on said horizontal flanges and having bolts extending therethrough for adjusting the tension of said springs, a continuous series of links interconnecting the adjacent pairs of ends of said shafts, and guide means attached to each of said vertical flanges and extending inwardly for engagement with the ends of one of said tie bars.

3. A roller conveyor comprising a frame, a plurality of laterally spaced tie bars mounted for vertical movement in said frame, bearing supports mounted on said tie bars adjacent the ends of the latter, aplurality of cylindrical rollers each having an axial shaft, said shafts having their opposite ends rotatably journaled with respect to said hearing supports, a plurality of vertically disposed compression springs resiliently supporting said tie bars on said frame and having bolts extending therethrough for adjusting the tension of said springs, a continuous series of links interconnecting the ends of adjacent pairs of all said rollers for preventing substantial relative lateral movement therebetween, adjacent pairs of said links having overlapping ends both pivotally connected to one end of one of said shafts and means attached to said frame for limiting movement of said rollers endwise thereof.

4. A roller conveyor comprising a pair of spaced L ends both pivotally connected to one of said roller assemblies to prevent lateral movement of said rollers relative to each other, and guide means carried by each side frame, said guide means being opposite each other and having vertical sliding engagement relative to one adjacent bearing to prevent movement of the associated roller assembly longitudinally relative to said side frames.

HENRY R. GOTTHARDI'.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,562,680 Bohn Nov, 24, 1925 1,969,276 Pevear Aug. 7, 1934L 2,158,364 Hahn May 16, 1939 2,396,079 Bowen Mar. 5, 1946 

